Material separator



June 11, 1940. J. ENBUS-K 7 7 MATERIAL SEPARATOR /Z A5 f L\ I w u W 21R E] i N K? m 2 M N Jail)? E7Zu5k J1 war Mom C] H'o: v M24 4. v

June 11, 1940. J ENBUSK 2,204,478

MATERIAL SEPARATOR Filed Ndv. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h Q Q Mm "3 \k- & I]

IN V I s 3 Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES Petr13m omen? MATERIAL SEPARATOR John Enbusk, Astoria, Greg. 1 Application November 20, 1939, Serial No. 305,391 12 Claims. (c1. 254-104) This invention relates to material separating or spreading devices and more particularlyto a device designed for the purpose of spreading a pile or a number of articles apart to permit the insertion of an elevating cable.

An object of this invention is to provide a load spreader which is designed particularly for the purpose of spreading lumber, boxes or the like a distance sufiicient to admit a cable or chain between the articles so that the articles may subsequently be moved by a crane or other device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a load spreading means which is so constructed that it may initially be driven between the desired articles, such as between the surfaces of lengths of lumber so as to spread the material apart in.

order that a partial pile of the material may be picked up by a crane or elevating means and moved to another location.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is so constructed that the articles may be' easily and quickly separated regardless of their weight or length, the device operating at one end of the articles so as to raise one end of the articles and permit the insertion of a cable, chain or other flexible means in the space between the separated material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly simple device of this kind which maybe manually operated and easily and quickly inserted between either articles of lumber or heavy boxes so as to facilitate the subsequent handling of the articles. I

To the foregoing objects and to others which 17 'may hereinafter appear,"the invention'consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation-of a load spreader constructed according to an embodiment of this invention showing the spreader in extended position, I

Figure 2 is a detail rear elevation of the spreader,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line device partly in section showing the device in applied position.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates generally an elongated base or guide memberwhich as shown inFigures 3 and 7 is constructed in the form of an angle bar provided with one leg I l thereof vertical and the other leg 12 disposed in a horizontal position. The leg l2 at its free or outer edge is provided with a bevelled or blade portion [3, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

A movable or loadspreading member generally designatedas I4 is operatively secured or carried by the base member ID and comprises a movable angle memberprovi'ded with a vertical leg l' and a horizontal leg l6. The horizontal legv [5 is provided with a bevelled blade portion l1 coacting with the bevelled or blade portion 13 to' projvide a .V-shaped load splitting meanswhich is adapted to be inserted between superposed articles, such as thepie'ces of lumber designated L. The movable or load separating member -M is provided intermediate the endsthereof with a pair of slidable rods l8 which are disposedin parallel relation to eachother and are secured as by welding Is to one'side of the vertical'leg l5. These slide rods l8 are relatively longer than the width .of the leg [5 and are slidable in guide members in the formof -1ugs which are fixed to the vertical leg H of the base member 10. A cotter pin 2| is extended throughthe lower portionof each slide member l8 and is adapted to limit the extension of these slide members I8. The two slide'members [B at their upper ends are connected together by a connecting bar 22 which may be welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the slide members I8, This connecting bar 22 not onlyholds thetwo slide members [8 against movement relatively to each other, but also con stitutes a handle by .means of which. the device may be readily carried from one location to another. .1

A pair of substantially triangularly shaped wedge members 23 are slidable on the inner por+ tion of the horizontal leg l2 and preferably, a guide bar 24 is secured as by welding 25 or the like to the inner faceof the vertical leg I! and extends above-the upper edge of the vertical leg ,l I. The wedge member 23 is adapted to engage against the guidemember 24 during the movement thereof longitudinally of the base member H]. a relatively straight upper edge portion 26.- as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and theouter ends of the horizontal leg I6 of the movable member 14 may be provided at each end thereof with a rounded wedge engaging portion 21.

The two wedges 23 are disposed inopposedrelation and are moved in unison either inwardly or outwardly by means of a threaded shaft 28.. The threaded shaft 28 at one end is threaded through a nut 29 fixed-to one wedge member and The wedge members 23 may be provided with 2 the opposite end of the shaft 28 is threaded through a similar nut 29 carried by the other wedge member 23. The shaft 26 is provided at one end with a right hand thread and at the other end with a left hand thread so that rotation of the shaft 28 in one direction will cause the two wedge members 23 to move inwardly toward each other and rotation of the shaft 28 in the opposite direction will cause the wedge members 23 to move away from each other. Each nut member or lug 29 is provided with a recess 30 adjacent the inner end thereof within which recess the guide rail or member 2 is adapted to engage. In this manner the wedgemembers 23 are held against inward or outward movement relative to the base member In.

The shaft 28 is journalled through a bearing member 3! having a flange 32 which is welded to a plate 33. The plate 33 may be welded or otherwise fixed to the vertical leg I l of the base member l0, and in the present instance, the plate 33 projects slightly below the vertical leg ll. The bearing member 3| is provided with a bore 34 extending inwardly from the outer end thereof and a cylindrical hub portion 35 carried by a bevelled driving gear 36 is rotatably mounted in the outer portion of the bore 34 as shown in Figures e and 5. The gear 36 meshes with a driven gear 3'! which may be fixed as by a pin or key member 38 to the shaft 28. The gear 3'? may be provided with a cylindrical bearing portion 39 engageable in a recess or seat 40 carried by the bearing member 3!. An annular collar 4| is fixed as by a key or pin 42 to the shaft 28 on the side of the bearing 3| opposite from the gear 31 so as to thereby hold the shaft 28 against endwise movement with respect to the bearing 3!.

An annular collar or gear holding member 53 engages about a cylindrical extension 44 carried by the outer portion of the driving gear 35 and the ring or collar 43 is secured to an L shaped bracket or bar 45. The outer portion of the L- shaped bracket 45 is provided with a vertical extension 46 which is fixed as by bolts or fastening members 4! to the lower extended portion of the plate 33. The extension M of the gear 363 is provided with anut socket 58 in which a nut member 49 carried by a crank 50 is adapted to removably engage. The crank 50 provides a means whereby the gear 36 may be manually rotated to either extend or separate the two members Ill and I4 or to permit retraction or movement of these members toward each other.

In the use and operation of this device initially the two angle members l0 and M are disposed as shown in Figures 3 and 4 when the horizontal blade members 12 and I6 in face abutting relation so as to form a substantially V--shaped blade at their forward longitudinal edges. The device may then be forcibly inserted between the desired articles, such as pieces of lumber as shown in Figure 3 by driving the two blade members with a hammer or other tool. This may be done by striking the guide bar or member 24 adjacent each end of the base member it. After the two blade members l2 and M- are positioned between the desired articles or pieces of lumber, the crank 50 may then be operated to rotate the shaft 28 through the medium of the driving gear 35 and the driven gear 31. At this time the shaft 28 is then rotated in a direction to move the two wedge members 23 inward'or toward each other and the lower and inner end of each wedge'member 23 will engage the rounded outer ends of the blade member l6 so as to forcibly elevate the movable member l4 relative to the stationary member or base I0. The two wedge members 23 are of such a height that when the wedge members are at their innermost position or substantially entirely beneath the upper blade l6, there will be a sufiicient space between adjacent pieces of lumber or articles as shown in Figure '7 to admit of the insertion of a cable, chain or other flexible means which may be connected to an elevating crane or the like so as to lift the desired quantity of material in a pile without moving the entire pile or without requiring the handling of individual pieces of lumber where lumber is being spread apart.

At the present time during the loading of lumber, either on board a vessel or removing the lumber from a vessel to a pier, the lumber is stacked in a relatively high pile and it is a difficult matter to separate the smaller portion of the pile in order to insert the loading or unloading cable between the desired quantity of lumber.

In the past it has frequently been necessary to restack the lumber in either smaller piles or use some other pry device which might injure or damage the ends of certain pieces of lumber or might require a very considerable expenditure of time and effort in order to permit of the insertion of some sort of awedge between selected portions of the lumber pile. Where a number of boxes which are relatively heavy are placed one upon the other on a pier or either in a vessel or on the vessels deck, it is also a difiicult matter to lift a portion or side of the box or of a number of such boxes to admit of the insertion of a cradle or net used by the vessel or on the pier in either loading or unloading the vessel.

However, with a device as hereinbefore described, selected portions of the pile may be separated at one end by means of the spreading device which not only saves a considerable amount of time in the spreading operation, but it will also hold the articles in their separated position until the cable or cradle has been interposed between the separated material. In the movement of the movable member i l. relative to the base member ill, the slide members It will move relative to the guide lugs or members 2! so as to thereby hold the movable member I l against endwise movement while permitting lateral or vertical movement of the movable member H5 relative to the base member ID.

What I claim is:

l. A load spreading means comprising apair of elongated superposed blade members, and

means slidably engaging the confronting face of i said members for moving one of said members relative to the other member While maintaining said members in parallel relation.

2. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated superposed blade members, and means slidably engaging the confronting face of said members for moving one of said members relative to the other member while maintaining said members in parallel relation, each of said blade members having complementary keen edge portions.

3. A load. spreading means comprising a pair of elongated fiat blade members provided with complementary keen edge portions on one edge thereof, a pair of opposed wedge members slidably carried by one of said members and engageable with the other of said members to move said other member relative to said one member, and means for moving said wedge members in unison.

4. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members dis posed'with one leg of one member in parallel and confronting relation to a leg of the other member, the other leg of said one member being disposed in align-- ment with the other legof said other member,

and means carried by one of said members and engageable with a confronting leg of the other member to shift said other member'inpa'rallel relationwith respect to said one member.

5. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed with'one leg .of one member in parallel and confronting relation to a leg .of the other member, means slidably connecting said .members together for movement toward or away fromjeach other,

means movable longitudinally of said members for shifting said members relativeto each other, and operating means for said latter means.

6. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed with one leg of one member in parallel and confronting relation to a leg of the other member, means slidably connecting said members together for movement toward or away from each other, a

pair of wedge members slidably carried by one of I said elongated members and engageable with the other of said elongated members to shift said other elongated member relative to said one member, and means carried by said one elongated member engageable with said wedge members for moving 'said wedge members in opposite directions. a

7. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed withone leg of one member in parallel and confronting rela tion to a leg of the other member, means slidably connecting said members together for'movement toward or away from each other, a pair of wedge members slidably carried by-one of said elongated members and engageable with the other of said I elongated members to shift said other elongated member relative to said'one member, a threaded lug carried by each wedge member, the threads of one lug being oppositely pitched from the threads of the other lug, a threaded shaft engaging said lugs, and means for rotating said shaft.

8. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed with one leg of one member in parallel and confronting relation to a legjo'f the other member, means slidably connecting said members together for movement toward or away from each other, a pair of wedge members slidably carried by one of said elongated members and engageable with the other of said elongated members to shift said other elongated member relative to said one member, a threaded lug carried by each wedge member, the threads of one lug being oppositely pitched from the threads of the other lug, a

threaded shaft engaging said lugs, a centrally disposed bearing for said shaft, a driven gear fixed to said shaft, a driving gear rotatably car-. ried by said bearing, and means forrotating said driving gear. w

9. A- load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed with one leg of one member in parallel and confronting relation to a leg. of the other member, means slidably connecting said members together "for,

driving gear.

said driving gear.

a pair of wedge members slidably 'carriedby one of said elongated members and engageable with theother of said elongated members to shift said other elongated member relative to said one elongated member, guide means carried by said/one elongated member for said wedgemembers, and

' gatedmember, a pair of guide members carried by said one elongated member for said wedge members, a threadedlug carried by each wedge member p-rovided with a cut out portion to receive a guide member, a threaded shaft engaging said lugs, and operatingmeans for said shaft.

11. A load spreading means comprising a pair of elongated angle members disposed with one leg of one member in paralleland confronting relation to a legof the other member, means slidably. connecting said means together for, a

pair of wedge members slidably carried by one of said elongated members and engageable with the other of said elongated-members to shift said other elongated member relative to said one elongated member, a pair of guide members carried by said one elongated member for said Wedge members, a threadedlug carried by each wedge member-provided with a cut out portion to receive a guide member, a threaded shaft engaging said lugs, a centrally disposed bearing for, said shaft, a driven gear fixed to said shaft adjacent said bearing, a drivinggear meshing with said driven gear, means rotatably supporting said driving gear in said bearing, andmeans for rotating said 12. A load spreading'means comprisin a pair ofyelongated angle 'membersdisposed with one slidably connecting said members together for, a

, pair of wedge members slidably carried by one of said elongated members and engageable with the other of said elongated members to shift said other elongated member-relative to said one elongatedmember, a pair of guide members carried by said one elongated member for said wedge members, a threaded lug carried by each wedge member provided with a cut outportionto receive a guide member, a threaded shaft engaging :saidjlugs, a centrally disposed bearing for said 1 leg of one member in parallel and confronting relation toa leg of the other member, meansshaft, a driven gear fixed to said shaft adjacent 1 I said bearing, adriving gear meshing with said driven gear, means rotatably mounting said driving gear in said gear, said mounting means including a cylindrical hub portion carried by-said driving gear, a retaining ring fixed'to said one elongated member and engaging said hub,said

driving gearhaving a nut socket axially thereof, and means engaging in said socket for rotating JOHN ENBUSK. 

